Variation 12: Handling Complicated Campaigns

Handling Complicated Campaigns (MGME2 pgs. 166 - 169)

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Whether you are playing solo or with a group, campaign management is eventually going to become an issue. When playing solo it has its own special problems, such as list management of what could turn out to be dozens of NPCs or Threads. 

The essay "Handling Complicated Campaigns" gives great guidelines on the topic. Sublist, list pruning, reducing instances, and other useful suggestions slim a bloated list back to a useful size.

The article below is the blueprint that this essay derives from,

• “Creating Complicated Campaigns”
• MM Vol. 23, pg. 3

and on a related topic

• “Creative List Tips & Tricks”
• MM Vol. 17, pg. 3

but it isn't the only magazine article that takes on complexity.

Sometimes the complexity that needs to be handled is smaller scale, maybe down the basic unit of play, the scene.

• “Starting, And Ending, Scenes”
• MM Vol. 10, pg. 4

or even just an interaction within a scene.

• “Behavior Checks Simplified”
• MM Vol. 1, pg. 8

Perhaps your complication begins even before the campaign, and you want to make sure the game steers in the direction you want to play?

• “Customizing A Solo Adventure Before You Begin”
• MM Vol. 7, pg. 4
• “Generating Compelling Backstories”
• MM Vol. 8, pg. 11
• “Control Your Adventure With Keyed Scenes”
• MM Vol. 10, pg. 12

The topic of campaign management, scene management, or story design could fill volumes, but the articles above, along with the Complicated Campaign essay, could help you get off the ground and keep the game flying. 

W.D.

PS
I haven't' really done this topic justice. I plan to come back and keep adding useful articles to the few listed here. If you have a favorite to suggest, as I have already noticed a few I plan to go back and add, I ask please just note them in comments section and if I agree with you I will post them up. This topic is one of the most important in the variations, and there are probably a dozen articles at this point that would expand it.